Romantic Dinner At Home

If you haven't booked your dinner reservation for Valentine's Day, don't panic. Chef and cookbook author, Robin Asbell shares some recipes that include natural aphrodisiacs to help spark up some romance for you and your sweetie.

1. Pour stock in a pan and bring to a boil. Slice the tips of the asparagus about 3 inches long. Drop into simmering stock to blanch for 3-4 minutes. Use tongs to remove asparagus and keep warm. Keep stock barely simmering. Thinly slice the remaining stems of the asparagus, discarding the tough base. In a heavy bottomed pan saute onion until soft. Add rice and saute, stirring to coat with oil. When rice is hot, add wine and cook until dry. Add ladlefuls of stock to rice and cook until absorbed before adding more. Add the sliced stems after 10 minutes.Start testing the rice for doneness about 12 minutes from when you added the wine. When rice is tender but not mushy, remove from heat and stir in parmesan, taste for salt. Serve topped with asparagus tips and drizzled with truffle oil.

1. Slice baguette on a diagonal and place on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350 degree oven to desired crispness, about 10 minutes. In a small skillet, over high heat, toast the pumpkinseeds, shaking often, until they start to pop. Let cool.
2. In a small bowl, Combine avocado, lime, pumpkinseeds, parsley and flax or olive oil. Top each slice of baguette with the avocado mixture, and sprinkle to taste with tabasco and salt.

1. In a blender or food processor, mince the shallot, then add the four strawberries and puree. Add the sugar and salt and puree, then drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running. Reserve.
2. On each of four salad plates, place butter lettuce, and top with orange sections, and arrange strawberries all around. Sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.